This story starts off with a bang; our heroine tells her father that she wants to contribute to his newspaper with meaty news, not social tea summaries. Then Roz Matthews declares her independence from the marriage machinations of her parents. Before the chapter is over, Roz is abducted by a man who seems to be on a murder spree.
As the only child of the owner of one of Denver's largest newspapers, Roz wants to be independent and a genuine newspaper reporter. After an argument with her father, Roz rides off in a snit, to run into the man she has been writing about -- the murderer of her best friend's father. Eli McCain meets a man on a bridge; a man dressed like himself. During a gun fight, Eli is seriously wounded. He abducts Roz for two reasons: to attend his wounds and protect her from the person who killed the other man and wounded Eli.
Eli is definitely not of the Denver establishment; he is half-white, part Cheyenne and part Mexican. When the murders begin, Eli cannot imagine why someone would select him as the scapegoat. He has held a variety of jobs and wanders from one locale to another.
About mid-way into the book, this story fizzled. Once the two main characters got into the mountains (where Eli could recuperate from his wounds), the story dragged itself into a lust-fest. Incredibly, Roz spent lots of ink trying to convince Eli to sleep with her. This is not an accurate picture of the times.
The last part of the book took too long finding who was setting Eli up for multiple murders. Carole Finch's story had lots of action. The opening dialogue between Roz and Eli was wonderful, then things turned average.
As the only child of the owner of one of Denver's largest newspapers, Roz wants to be independent and a genuine newspaper reporter. After an argument with her father, Roz rides off in a snit, to run into the man she has been writing about -- the murderer of her best friend's father. Eli McCain meets a man on a bridge; a man dressed like himself. During a gun fight, Eli is seriously wounded. He abducts Roz for two reasons: to attend his wounds and protect her from the person who killed the other man and wounded Eli.
Eli is definitely not of the Denver establishment; he is half-white, part Cheyenne and part Mexican. When the murders begin, Eli cannot imagine why someone would select him as the scapegoat. He has held a variety of jobs and wanders from one locale to another.
About mid-way into the book, this story fizzled. Once the two main characters got into the mountains (where Eli could recuperate from his wounds), the story dragged itself into a lust-fest. Incredibly, Roz spent lots of ink trying to convince Eli to sleep with her. This is not an accurate picture of the times.
The last part of the book took too long finding who was setting Eli up for multiple murders. Carole Finch's story had lots of action. The opening dialogue between Roz and Eli was wonderful, then things turned average.
Denell W. (Chitimacha-Princess) reviewed The Last Honest Outlaw (Harlequin Historical, No 732) on + 586 more book reviews
IN THE WEST, EVEN AN OUTLAW WASN'T ALWAYS WHAT HE SEEMED...
Murder and abduction had introduced Rozalie Matthews to Eli McCain, who'd taken her hostage in a hail of gunfire. Yet as she tended him in a deserted cabin, she knew two things for sure: this rough and ready loner was no outlaw...but he was a thief of hearts!
Eli McCain knew he was probably on every wanted poster in the Rockies by now---for a crime he didn't commit. But no one was going to believe a half-breed mountain man was innocent of anything---except maye his prisoner, Roz Matthews, a feisty whirlwind of a woman...who swore she'd clear his name!
Murder and abduction had introduced Rozalie Matthews to Eli McCain, who'd taken her hostage in a hail of gunfire. Yet as she tended him in a deserted cabin, she knew two things for sure: this rough and ready loner was no outlaw...but he was a thief of hearts!
Eli McCain knew he was probably on every wanted poster in the Rockies by now---for a crime he didn't commit. But no one was going to believe a half-breed mountain man was innocent of anything---except maye his prisoner, Roz Matthews, a feisty whirlwind of a woman...who swore she'd clear his name!
